A fresh inquest will be held into the death of a nine-year-old girl in London who died of an asthma attack and whose condition has been linked to air pollution near her home.
After a battle by her mother Rosamund Kissi-Debrah to have her child Ella's death recognised as being caused by air pollution, the High Court granted a new inquest for later this year.
Ms Kissi-Debrah argued that new evidence had come to light; this includes research demonstrating a link between Ella's asthma attacks and spikes in air pollution in the area.
The family lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham, south London. Ella died in 2013 after having seizures for three years.
Miss Kissi Debrah said she it was important for Ella's siblings to understand the truth behind her death.
The case could set a precedent. It is believed it could be the first time air pollution would be the recorded cause of death.
Her statement said: 'The past six years of not knowing why my beautiful, bright and bubbly daughter died has been difficult for me and my family, but I hope the new inquest will answer whether air pollution took her away from us.
'If it is proved that pollution killed Ella then the government will be forced to sit up and take notice that this hidden but deadly killer is cutting short our children's lives.'
The family has argued authorities should be liable for the illegal levels of air pollution measured near their home. The UK has lost several legal disputes over its approach to tackling air pollution, which breaches EU legal limits in many parts of the country.
Around 40,000 deaths in the UK are linked to air pollution every year.
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